(Drawing on a variety of sources, this tries to set out an 'alternative' approach)
At the Baptism of Infants
If the baptism is taking place during another meeting of the Church, the material marked * may be omitted.
* Hymn
The minister greets the congregation and then says:
From earliest times it has been the practice of the Christian Church to admit to baptism children who are not old enough to speak for themselves. In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the jailer at Philippi who, when the word of the Lord was preached to him, was baptized with his whole family. And in the city of Corinth the households of Crispus and Stephanas were baptized.
The Bible also tells us that children of believers are sanctified, enjoying the favour of God through the faith of their parents.
Yet to be effective, the outward act of baptism in water must be joined with inward faith in the Word of God. It is therefore necessary for this child to be brought up as a believer if he/she is to enjoy the benefits which will be promised to him/her today.
In baptism he/she will be united with Christ. He/She will be buried with Christ in his death, and so he/she must die to sin in his/her own life. And he/she will be raised to new life with Christ in his resurrection, no longer to live in slavery to sin but as a servant of righteousness and a child of God.
Therefore as we praise our God who gives us these great blessings, so we also pray that he will grant this child grace to believe, and his/her parents the wisdom and ability to bring him/her up to love God as his/her Father, to obey Christ as his/her Saviour, and to walk in step with the Holy Spirit as his/her guide and comforter. Keep reading
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